Automatic reclosing circuit-breaker system



Oct. 20,

A; E. ANDERSON AUTOMATIC RECLOSING CIRCUIT BREAK"?! SYSTEM Irwverwbov- 1 Avvid E. Anderson e Has Attorneg Patented Oct, 20, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT orriciz.

ARVID E. ANDERSON, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC RECLOSIN'G CIRCUIT-BREAKER SYSTEM.

Application filed August 2, 1922.

To a?! 'UllO/IL it may concern:

Be it known that l. Anvm l9 ANnERsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic ,lleclosing Circuit-Breaker Systemsmf which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic reclossupply circuit supplies current to a plurality of load circuits. and a circuit breaker with a low voltage release is provided in each circuit, a severe short circuit or overload on one or more of the load circuits may cause the circuit breaker in the supply circuit, as well as the circuit breakerjln the overloaded circuit, to open so that all of the circuit breakers in all of the load circuits are opened and all of the load circuits are deenergized. Since it is very desirable that all of the load circuits whose load conditions are normal, should not be kept deenergized any longer than is necessary, it is evident that when all of the circuit breakers are opened due to a short circuitor overload on one or more of the load circuits, the circuit breaker should be reclosed in such amauner that all of the circuit breakers are not opened again when an overloaded circuit is' reconnected to the supply circuit.

. In accordame with my invention when all of the circuit breakers are opened due to a short circuit or overload on one of the load circuits. the circuit. breaker in the supply circuit isautomatically closed first. and then the circuit breakers in the load circuits are automatically reclosed in succession. Due to the different settings of the oi'crload rclays controlling the opening of the circuit Serial No. 579,252.

My invention will be better understood" from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing which shows one embodiment of lily-invention a pluralityof single phase alternating current circuits 1 and 2 are arran ed to be connected to a common distributing bus 3 by means of tlie circuit breakers 5 and 6, respectively. As shown in the drawing, 1 is a supply circuit which supplies current to the distributing bus 3 and 2 are load circuits which receive current from the distributins bus 3. \Vhile I have shown only single phase circuits and only one supply circuit and two load circuits, 'it is to be understood however that my invention is not limited to any particular number oi phases or to any particular number of circuits.

Each circuit breakerds provided with a suitable operating mechanism for closing the circuit breaker. The particular type of mechanism schen'iatically shown in the drawing comprises an overset toggle 7 which is arranged to beset by a cam 9.- Each toggle 7 comprises links 10 and 11 which act between the contact arn 19 of the circuit breaker and the core 13 of an electromagnet 14 when the coil 15 thereof is energized.

The link 11 is pivotally connected to a link 16 which in turn is connected to the fixed pivot 17. The 'core' 13 isso arranged with respect to the toggle 7 that when the coil is energized it is in the position shown by the dotted lines in the drawing and prevents the link 16 from rotating beyondacertain point in the direction indicated bythearrow so that when the circuit breaker is closed the force tending to open the breaker holds the toggle locked. When, however, the circuit breaker is closed and the coil 15 is'deenergized a spring 18 moves the core 13 out of engagement with the link 16 to the position shown by the solid lines in the drawing so that the opening force of the circuit breakercauses the link 16 to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow thereby breaking the toggle and-allowing the circuit breaker to a open regardless of the position of the cum 9.

When the coil is deenergized and the circuit breaker is o n the rotation of the cam 9 causes the lin 16 to rotate about its fixed pivot 17 so that the circuit breaker remains o n and the toggle 7 remains unlocked. "hen, however, the coil 15 is energized so that the core 13 is moved into the path of the link 16 the toggle 7 is straightened and the circuit breaker is closed breaker is closed at a time.

It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the mechanism shown in the drawing'for closing the circuit breakers.

The lparticular mechanism shown is claimed in t e copending application, Serial No.

, 665,134 filed Aug. 1, 1023 by William K.

Rankin, and assigned -to the same 'assignee as this application.

The motor 21 is arranged to be supplied with current from any suitable source such as the control circuit 22 which is supplied with current from the supply circuit 1 by means of the transformer 23 and the manually controlled switch 23.

The circuit of the motor 21 is controlled by -the circuit breakers so that the motor operates to efl'ect the operation of the operating mechanisms when any one of the'circuit breakers is open. As shown in the dllwing, the motor 21 is arranged to be coniiected across the control circuit 22 by means of a relay 24 the circuit of which is arranged to be completed by the contacts 25 of each circuit breaker when in its open position.

Each circuit breaker is arranged to be opened in response to an overload on the respective circuit by means of an overload relay 26 which is connected in the respective circuit. Each overload relay 26 is arranged so that. it does ,notclose its contacts 27 until the c rrent in the respective circuit exceeds a pre eterinined value. Preferably, the overload relays are of the inverse time limit tyne.

-itch overload relay 26 controls the circuit of the coil- 28' of acontrol relay 28 associated therewith. Each control relay 28 is provided with contacts 29 which are in the. circuit of the holding coil, 15 of the resiective circuit breaker so that whenever the control relay is ener ized the respective circuit breaker is opene Each control rclu 28 is also provided with contacts 31) w iich are in the circuit of the coil 11 of a notching relay 32 associated therewith. The notching relays 32 ma be of any suitable construction whereby t iey do not open their contacts 33 until their C0ils-3l have been The ratchet 35 is held in its actuated posi- Y tioii by a holding held out of enga emcnt with the ratchet by the movable member 40 of a time delay device such as a dash pot 41. The movable member 40 of the dash pot 41 is arranged to be operated by the core 34 when the coil 31 is energized. A spring 42 tends to move the holding pawl 39 into enga ment. with the ratchct 35. Preferably the ash pot 41 is arranged in an suitable mannerso that only .the downwan movement of the movable member 40 is delayed. The contacts 33 of each notching sale are so arranged with iespect to the actuating member 36 that these contacts' are not opened until the coil 31. has been successively ener ized a predetermined number of times, whic li, in the arrangement shown in the drawing, is assumed to be three. These contacts are also arranged so that they remain in their open position until they-have been reset by hand.

The circuits of the coils 15, 28' and 31 associated with each .circuit breaker include the contacts 33 of ,the respective notching relay 32 so that when these contacts are open thcrelays cannot be energized although the iespective circuit breaker is open. The circuits of the coils 15. 28 and 31 also'include the contacts of a manually controlled switch 43 associated with each circuit breaker so that the reclosing cquipincnt'of any circuit breaker may be rendered inoperative by merely opening the respective switch 43.

The control relay 28 associated with the circuit breaker 5 in, the supply circuit is provided with the contacts 44 which control the circuit of the coil' 45 of a time relay 46. The circuit of the coil 45 which is arranged tobe connected across the control bus 22 also includes the contacts 47 of a relay 48, auxpawl 39 which is normally i-io viliary contacts49 on the circuit breaker 5,

contacts 33 of the respective notching relay 32 and contacts of the respective switch 43.

v Md

The time relay it; is designed in any suitable manner so that it does not close its contacts 50 until a certain time after the,

coil 45 is energized. 'hen the time relay it;

the contacts 44 of the control relay 28 asso- 1 ciated with the circuit breaker 5, the auxiliary contacts 49, contacts 33 of the respective notcliing ielay 32 and contacts of the respective switch 43. When the relay 48 closes its contacts 54 and 55 it connects the control circuit 22 to the controlcircuii'. 56

which supplies current to the reclosing equipment associated with the circuit breakem 6.

From the above description it is evident that the circuit breaker 5 hasto be closed a certain time before any of the circuit breakers 6 can be reclosed. In order to prevent each circuit breaker 6 from beingreclosed until a rcdeterniiiied time after ithas been opened y an overload upon the i "'BtEClIVC circuit, each circuit breakeris provid N with a time relay 5?, the coil 58 of whicl; -s' aw ranged to be connected across the control circuit 56- when the respective overload relay 26 closes its contacts 27. Time relays 57 are designed in any suitable manner so' that they do not 11 their respective contaets 59 until a pre eterinined time after the ranged to be connected across the control circuit 56 when the respective overload relay "26 closes its contacts 27. ll'hen any one of the coils 28' is energized and the respective relay 28 closes its contacts 30 a locking circult for the coil is comp eted through the contacts 30 and the contacts 59 ot' the re spectivc time relay -8. This locking circuit is independent of the contacts 27 of the respective overload relay so that the coil 28 iS iiqt deenergized by the overload relay opening its contacts when the circuit breaker opens, but remains'cnergized until the time relay 57 opens its contacts The operation of the equipment shown in the drawine is as follows: Let it be assumed that all of the circuit breakers are open and the supply circuit is energized. To close the c'rcuit broali'crs. all of the switches l3 are closed and then the switch 23 is closed. The closing ol the switch 23 energizes the control circuit 22 so that tlllll()ltlli1, coil 15 ot' the circuit breaker 5 and. the coil of the motor relay Q-l are energized. "lhe energization ot tlic-niolor relay ill completes the circuit of the motor 21 which rotates the shaftv and the cams 9. Since the holding:

coil 15 of the circuit breaker 5 is energized this circuit breaker is closed as soon as the rain 9 associated therewith reaches its closinc" position. The circuit. breakers (tare not closed at this time because the holding coils 15 associated therewith are deenergizcd.

The opening of the auxiliary contacts 2;") of the circuit breaker 7: when it closes opt-us the energizing circuit of the coil of the mo tor relay 24 so that the circuit of the motor 21 is opened. Although the coil of the relay 24 is connected across the control circuit 56 at this time by means of auxiliary" contacts on the open circuit breakers ti, this relay is not energized because the control circuit on is dcencr rized. As soon as the auviliary contacts 4%) ol the circuit breaker 5 are. closed the circuit for the coil if: of the time relay at; is completed and utter a certain time th s relay chases its contacts thereby com plating the circuit of the coil 51 of the relav. 48. The closing oi"? the contacts 52 of the relay 4S completes the heretofore traced locking circuit for the coil 5]. and theclosinc of the contacts Fri. and 55 connect the control. circuits 22 and 56 together. As soon as t'hc control circuit 56 is energized the holding: coils 15 of all of the circuit breakers; 5 are simultaneously energized and.at the" same. time the coil of the motor relay 2! is energized so that the motor 21 begins to rotate. The circuit breakers (i are then closed in succession. the particular circuit breaker to be closed first beingdepeiulent upon the position of the cams 9 when the holding coils 15 and'the coil of the motor relay 2% are energized. A fter all of the circuit breakers have been closed so that all of the contacts 27 are open the motor relay 24 is deener gized and the niotorBl stops.

It is evident that by connecting the load circuits 2, to the distributing bus 3 in this manner the load on thc supplycii cuit is gradually increased so that much better regulation can be maintained than it thc'lotiil load were connected to the supply circuit; at one time. i

Let it now be assuincd that a short cir cuit or overload occurs on one of the load circuits 2 and is so severe that it causes the overload relays 26 in both the overload cir- The opcningof the contacts 29 when the relays 28 are energized opens the circuit of the respective holding coils so that the circuit .w'ith the circuit breaker 5 opens the circuit of the coil 51 so that the relay 48 is deenergized and the control circuit 56 is d sconnected from the control circuit 22. The deener i'zation of the control circuit 56 causes the deenergization of the holding coils 15 of all of the circuit breakers 6 so that all of these circuit breakers open. The relay 48 is designed, howeverQ so that it does not open its contacts 54 and-"15 until after the coil 31 of the notching relay associa d with the overload circuit 2 has been e ergized and the notching relay has completed its notching operation.

As soon as the circuit breaker 5 opens the current through the overload relay 26 associated therewith decreases so that the relay ,opens its contacts 27 thereby opening the circuit of the coil 28' of the respective control relay 28. The relay 28 then opens its contacts 30 and'closes its contacts 29 and 44. The closing of the contacts 29 completesthe circuit of the holding coil 15 of the circuitbreaker 5. The circuit breakers are then closed in the same manner as above described.

Unless the short circuit or .overload is of a very severe character and is connected to the last load circuit 2 to be connected to the distributing bus 3, it is evident that due to the difi'erent settings of the inverse time limit overload relays 26 in the supply circuit and in the load circuits, the circuit breaker 5 in the supply circuit will not open in the great majority of cases when the circuit breaker 6 in the load-circuit, to which the short circuit is connected is reclosed. The circuit'breaker 6 in the overloaded circuit 2, however, will openas soon as the overload relay 26 in the overloaded circuit closes its contacts 27. The other circuit breakers 6, however, remain closed, since the load conditions on the respective circuits are normal and therefore the supply circuit will continue to supply currentto these load circuits. v

\Vhen the circuit breaker 6 in the overload cireuit 2 opens the second time, the coil vents the circuit breaker from reclosing until the respective time relay 57 opens'its. contacts 59. As soon as the time relay 57 opens its contacts 59 and causes the respective relay 28 to close its contacts 29 the holding coil 15 of the respective circuit breaker 6 and the motor relay 24 are energized so that the motor 21 rotates and closes the open circuit breaker 6.

If the overload or short circuit is Still connected to the circuit 2 when the circuit breaker 6 is reclosed the circuit breaker opens a third time and efiects the o ration of the notching relay 32 associa therewith so that it opens its contacts 33 thereby rendering the reclosin ated with the circuit %)reaker inoperative since it opens the circuits of the coils 28- and 31 thereof. Inasmuch as the circuit of equipment sesocithe motor relay 24 through the contacts 25 I of the open circuit breaker 6 is also open at the contacts 33 of the notchintghrela '32," the motor 21 does not operate, al oug the circuit breaker is open. The ope of any other circuit breaker,'however, e acts the operation of the motor 21 in the manner above described.

If the second reclosing of the circuit breaker 6 and the overloaded circuit 2 of fects the opening of the circuit breaker 5' the operation of the reclosing equipments of" all of the circuit breakers is the same as when the circuit breaker in the overloaded th of time, the mow circuit is i able members 40 of a l of the dash-pots 41' move the holding pawls 39 out of e ment with the respective ratchets 35'so t movable members 36 of all of the notchin'g relays are restored to their normal positions. The contacts 330i the notching relay which is associated with the o n circuit breaker 6, however, remain in their open position until they are resetby hand.

From the above description, it s'evident that if the overload on load circuit 2 is not severe enough to open the circuit. breaker 5 in the supply circuit, the circuit breaker 6 in the overload circuit 2 is reclosed two times with a certain interval between each closing and if the short circuit or-overload is still connected to the load circuit when the circuit breaker is closed the second time,

it opens a third time and the notching relay 32 associated therewith'o as its contacts 33 and renders the reclosm' means of the circuit breaker'inoperative. cuit breaker should remain closed after either-"the first or'second reclosing the-notchi-ng relay 32 is restored to its normal position in a manner heretofore described.

Furthermore, it is evident that if for any f the eir-' reason the circuit breaker 5 in the supply circuit 1 1S opened three times in succession with less than a predetermined time, which circuit breakers are locked open.

\Vhile I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact arrangement shown and described, but seek to cover in the appended claims all those modifications which fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What [claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States,

1. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker system, a plurality of circuit breakers, means arranged to be operated to ell'ect the opening of one of said circuit breakers means operative in response tothe opening of said one of said circuit breakers to etl'ect the opening of the other of said circuit breakers, means operative in response to the opening of said one of said circuit breakers to, effect the closing thereof, means arranged to etfect the closing of the" other of said circuit breakers successively, and means operative in response to the closing of said one of said circuit breakers to effect the operation of said last mentioned means.

2. In an automatic reclosing .circuit breaker system, a plurality of circuit breakcrs, means arranged to be operated to etl'ect the opening of one of said circuit breakers, means operative in response to the opening of said one of said circuit breakers to cfi'ect the opening of the other of said circuit breakers, means operative in response to the opening of said one of said circuit breakers to cl'lect the closing thereof, means arranged to etl'ect the closing of the other ofsaid circuit breakers successively, and means operative in response to the closing of said one of said circuit breakers to elicit the operation of said last mentioned means after said one of said circuit breaker has beelrclosed a predetermined time. 1

3. In .an automatic reclosing circuit breaker system, a plurality of circuit break ers, means arranged to be operated to effect the opening of one of said circuit breakers, means operative in response to the opening of said one of said circuit breakers to etl'ect the opening of the other of said circuit breakers, means operative in response to the opening of said one of said circuit breakers to effect the closing of said one of said circuit breakers, means arranged to ctlect the closing of the other of said circuit breakers successively, and means operative in response to the closing of said one of said circuit breakersto etl'ect the closing ot the other of said circuit breakers in a predetermined sequence with a predetermined time between the closing of succcssirc circuit breakers,

4. In an automatic rat-losing circuit breaker system, a plurality of circuit breakcrs, a holding coil for each circuit breaker arranged when energized to maintain the respective circuit breaker in its closed position, means arranged to be actuated to ctlect the decrlcrgizatiou of one of said holding coils to effect the opening of the rcspective circuit breaker, means operative in response to'the opening of said l:lSt-l1l0lltioned circuit breaker to etl'ect the (leanergization of all of the other holding coils, means operative in response to the opening of said last mentioned circuit breaker to etl'ect the closing thereof, and means operative in response to the closing of said last mentioned circuit breaker to eflect'the cnergization. of the holding coils of the other circuit breakers after said circuit breaker has been closed a predetermined time.

In an automatic rcclosing circuit breaker system, a plurality of circuit, break ers, a coil associated with each circuit breaker arranged, when deenergized, to pre vent the closing of the respective circuit breaker if it is open and to ellect the opening of the respective circuit breaker if it is closed, means arranged to be actuated to effect the deeuergization of one of said coils, means operative in response to the opening of the circuit breaker associated with said one of said coils to eifcct the deenergization of all of the other of said COllS IHGMlS operative in response to the opening of the lill) circuit breaker associated with said one of said coils to etl'ect the closing thereof, means operative in response to the closing of the circuit breaker associated with said one ofsaid coils to effect the energization of the holding coils of the other circuit breakers after the circuit breaker associated with said one of said coils has been closed a predetermined time and means adapted to be operated to close the other of said circuit breakers. v

6. In an automatic rcclosing circuit breaker system, a plurality of circuit breakers, a coil associated with each circuitbreaker arranged, when deenergized, to prevent the closing of the respective circuit breaker it' it is open and to ell'ecl the opening of the respective circuit breaker ii it is closed, means arranged to be actuated t'o ell'ect the deenergization of one of said coils. means operative in respons to the opening of the circuit breaker associated with said one of said coils to etl'ect the deencrgizatiou otall of the other coils. means operative in response to the opening of the circuit breaker associated with said one of said coils to ell'ect the closing thereof, means arranged to efi'ect the closing of the other of said ciriii) 6 means cuit breakers in succession, and means 0perative in response to the closin of the circuit breaker associated with saisone of said coils to efl'e'ct the energization of the holding coils of said other circuit breaker after the circuit breaker associated with said one of said coils has been closed a predetermined time.

7. In an automatic -reclosing circuit breaker system, a suppl circuit, a plurality of load circuits, a distri uting bus, a circuit breaker adapted to connect said supply circuit to said distributing bus, a plurality of circuit breakers each being adapted to connect one of said load circuits to said distributing bus, means operative in' response.

to the opening of the circuit breaker between the supply circuit and the distributing bus to efl'ect the opening of all of the circuit breakers between said load circuits and said I distributing bus, means ada ted to be opermeans operative in res ated to close the circuit brea er between the supply circuit and the distributin bus, and nse to the closing of said last mentione circuit breaker to effect the closing of said plurality of circuit breakers successively.

8. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker system, a suppl circuit, a plurality of load circuits, a distri uting bus, a circuit breaker adapted to connect said supply circuit to said distributing bus, a plurality of circuit breakers each being adapted to con nect one of said load circuits to said distributing bus, means operative in response to the opening of the circuit breaker between the su ply circuit and the distributing bus to c act the opening of all of the circuit breakers between said load circuits and said-distributing bus, means ada ted to be operated to close the circuit brea er between the. supply circuit and the distributing bus, means 0 rative in res use to the closing of said list mention -'circuit breaker to efl'ect the closing of said plurality of circuit breakers successively, and means for preventin said last-mentioned means from effecting t e closing of said plurality of circuit breakers until a predetermined time has elasped. after said circuit breaker between the supply circuit and said distributing bus closes.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of August, 1922.

ARVID 1;. ANDERSON. 

